Hyperglycemia can lead to irreversible tissue damage by mediating a number of biochemical and structural protein alterations. One of these known changes involves the formation of advanced glycated endproducts or age's which may interact with excessive levels of blood glucose (hyperglycemia) that eventually cause the complications associated with diabetes mellitus. Pharmacologic inhibition of age-mediated protein crosslinking by aminoguanidine hydrochloride (pimagedine) may prevent and/or stablize the development and progression of complications of diabetes, specifically retinopathy and nephropathy.